Related Post

While in Hong Kong on one trip, I took over 13,000 photos. So for this week’s Travel Tuesday, it’s been narrowed down to the Museums of Hong Kong. With so much happening in the city of life, fragrant harbour, pearl of the orient, it’s only because it has a strong history and diverse cultural foundation.

Most public museums in Hong Kong are free admission on Wednesdays. However, if you’d like to have more time to sit down and have a tea at the Heritage Museum (there’s also a Tea Ware Museum), I’d recommend getting a Weekly Pass for HK$30 (CAD$5.17, no typo) for unlimited access to 6 museums. It’s virtually free if you ask me, and you’ll be richer to done it. BTW, that museum pass also gives you a discount of HK$50 off at Hong Kong Disneyland if you get a half year pass (HK$50/CAD$8.61) or full year pass (HK$100/CAD$17.22).

So here are more photos from those museums featured on the @yegventures Instagram account today. To see pictures in albums with more than 100 photos, click on the title of the album. Thanks for coming with me on this Travel Tuesday to Hong Kong museums.

Noah’s Ark Theme Park & Resort

At first, it may be surprising to see Noah’s Ark in Hong Kong, but when you look at the religious demographics of the metropolis, Christianity has found a home here. In 2012, 48% of primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong were #Christian (Protestant & Catholic), with Buddhist schools at 18%. The rest are other religions and public.

The Noah’s Ark on Ma Wan Island is a full-scale model from the dimensions in the Old Testament. It’s part of a #ThemePark built by Protestant evangelists. The interior houses gallery spaces, restaurant, a shopping mall, and a hotel.

Solar Tower at Noah’s Ark Theme Park

The Solar Tower on Ma Wan Island is also part of the Noah’s Ark theme park. This is a working observatory to study the sun and other astronomical phenomenon. The gallery space offers a perspective of space history from Eastern influences as well as current western influences with the scientific method.

Hong Kong Museum of Art album

A seated figure of Buddha Shakyamuni displayed at the Hong Kong Museum of Art. The work was done with by applying enamel to biscuit and has survived from an inscription dating to 1617 on the 45th year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty.

Hong Kong Science Museum album

The Hong Kong Science Museum shows scientific advances from both the Western and Eastern hemispheres. In 132AD, Zhang Heng invented the first seismoscope. The earthquake detector was able to warn from which direction an earthquake was to come from should one occur. In 2005, a team of scientists from Heng’s home city replicated this seismoscope and successfully detected 4 earthquakes using this ancient device.

Hong Kong Space Museum album

After the Soviet Union and United States, China became the third country to launch people into #space. Tai Ko Naut (translated spaceman) Yang Liwei instantly became a national hero. This is a the flight suit displayed at the Hong Kong Space Museum. The #spacesuit was displayed at the museum in 2003, and received such demand that it was open overnight to accommodate visitors.

Hong Kong Heritage Museum (1) album

The Hong Kong Heritage Museum in Shatin is huge. With several floors of gallery space, there are permanent exhibits showing the heritage of Cantonese life, and new exhibites showcasing the newest pop-culture trends. It’s perfect description of the real city where the east meets west and tradition meets progress.

Hong Kong Heritage Museum (2) album

Hong Kong Museum of History (1) album

The Hong Kong Museum of History gives a glimpse at the natural, archaeological, and local history of the now thriving metropolis in all its encompassing villages and towns. Cheung Chau is an island of the archipelago and holds a traditional Bun Festival, which used to be part of a Taoist ceremony. One of the traditions which continue today is the bun snatching off these bun towers. Racers climb up to collect as many buns as they can as the more buns the more fortune for the recipient. With the wastage of so many edible buns, the festival has used plastic buns since 2007.

Hong Kong Museum of History (2) album

Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence (1) album

Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence (2) album

This display is at the Hong Kong Coastal Defence museum. That’s a Japanese soldier with the flag of Imperial Japan.

While under British rule, Hong Kong experienced an occupation by Imperial Japan from December 25, 1941 until the end of WWII in August 1945. During this time, the population of the colony dropped by one million people as a result of rations and unemployment during the occupation. Because of this, it’s a taboo subject to mention Japan to seniors who experienced this dark period in local history.

Hong Kong Maritime Museum album

The Hong Kong Maritime Museum is the place to go if you want to see junk – a unique sailing boat that is. =P

Hong Kong was just a collection of fishing villages when the British took over after the Opium Wars. Having a lease for 99 years with China meant the colony was able to thrive under a democratic government. Unfortunately for the Brits, much of the wealth of Hong Kong didn’t flow into the #FragrantHarbour until after 1984 when it was agreed to handover the colony back to China. It was also stipulated in the Sino-British Joint Declaration that the colony would have autonomy for the 50 years following the handover. In turn, China would become one country two systems. This proved to be untrue after #Macau returned to China in 1999, as the Portuguese colony also had a different form of government to Hong Kong. On top of that, #Taiwan is not internationally recognized to be a nation, so hence it would mean there are 4 systems of government as part of the People’s Republic of China.

Hong Kong Cultural Centre album

If you want to see more than Cantonese Operas, the Hong Kong Cultural Centre is the place to see it. The unique auditorium is located on the Tsim Sha Tsui #waterfront beside a busy MTR (subway), bus, and ferry hub. The opening ceremonies was officiated by Prince Charles and Princess Diana when it opened in 1989. There is a $10 million Rieger Orgelbau organ installed with 8000 pipes.